Opening doors in dentistry

Since graduating from Melbourne Dental School with a Master of Dental Science specialising in Periodontology, Dr Werner Bischof AM (BDSc 1988, MDSc 1998) has proactively supported and advanced the oral health profession in Australia.

He has been a periodontist in clinical practice and a consultant at the Royal Children’s Hospital for over 20 years while holding senior policy, clinical leadership and professional development roles. Currently, as Chief Oral Health Advisor, Dr Bischof is the lead clinical voice for Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) on the Executive.

“I provide a clinical lens over the organisation’s strategy and operations, offer direct input into discussions at the board and executive level, and give advice on the provision of clinical care across the state. I also keep a forward eye on future areas of development or change for the delivery of clinical care and services,” he says.

“DHSV is the lead oral and dental health agency for the state. We run critical oral health promotion programs, invest in oral health research, advise the government on oral health policy and support the education of current and future oral health professionals throughout Victoria. Through the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne, and in partnership with our community dental agencies throughout the state, we provide oral and dental health services for all Victorians.”

Equipping the DHSV workforce to provide quality oral healthcare, improving access to services for those most vulnerable and creating health equity is a constant and evolving focus.

The care we deliver must be mindful of what communities and individuals need, and respect the outcomes people want. Whether we provide public education, health promotion, prevention or specialist care, our aim is to create sustainable health improvements for the communities in which we work says Dr Bischof.

Dr Bischof has served on the Council of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and was President from 2010 to 2012. He joined the Australian Dental Council’s Accreditation Committee and sat on various committees of the Dental Board of Australia, dealing with regulation and standards of care and practice.

He sees a number of challenges and opportunities facing the profession, such the way dentistry is viewed by the general community and within the broader health system.

“Dentistry is compartmentalised as something ‘on the side’ when we really need oral health to be considered as part of a person’s general health and wellbeing; we need to advocate for putting the mouth back into the body,” he says.

He believes oral health faces similar challenges to other areas of the health sectors — workforce pressures and the questions of how to use resources to achieve the best outcomes for patients and the community. He says there are benefits to be gained from understanding how other areas of the health sectors and community services operate to support patients and the population.

There are great learnings to be gained if we are curious about how others communicate and build skills to provide the care that patients need he says.

Dr Bischof believes recognising the value of collaboration and being open to opportunities to contribute, to work with people in other healthcare sectors, and to advocate for the oral health profession are also important to progress.

“In my first year of dentistry, I took a resident position at the dental unit at The Alfred and was exposed to trauma and medically compromised patients and that gave me a deeper understanding of where dentistry fits into the complex medical management of some patients. I then spent three years in general dental practice in Geelong, which gave me an understanding of rural practice. From there I arrived at periodontics,” he says.

My advice to any recent graduate today is keep an eye out for opportunities and when a door opens, walk through it.